Abstract: A retractable handle assembly is provided for a side plate of a suitcase and includes an outer casing having a lower portion pivotally mounted to a lower portion of the side plate. A lug is formed on the outer casing and has a chamber defined therein. A horizontal post is formed on the side plate and a biasing member is urged between the horizontal post and the lug. Two retaining blocks are each formed on an upper portion of the side plate and each has a guiding groove vertically defined therein. A linking member includes a first axle pivotally attached to an upper portion of the outer casing and a second axle having two distal ends each being stopped by a corresponding one of the two retaining blocks and each being slidable in an associated guiding groove. An inner casing is slidably mounted in the outer casing.

Abstract: An actuator including a ceramic substrate and at least one piezeoelectric/electrostrictive element formed on the substrate is disclosed. The ceramic substrate includes a spacer plate having at least one window which provides at least one pressure chamber, each window being substantially closed by a closure plate and a connecting plate. The spacer plate, closure plate and connecting plate are formed from respective ceramic green sheets which are laminated on each other and fired into an integral ceramic structure as the ceramic substrate. The connecting plate has at least one slit which corresponds to each pressure chamber. Each piezoelectric/electrostrictive element is disposed on a portion of the closure plate defining the corresponding pressure chamber, so as to change a pressure of the corresponding pressure chamber. Also disposed is an ink jet print head using the actuator as described above.

Abstract: A ceramic heater composed of a ceramic substrate and a resistant heating element embedded within the ceramic substrate along a predetermined planar pattern is obtained by holding a convolution of a spiral-coiled high melting metallic filament in the above predetermined planar pattern and heat-treating the convolution at a temperature not higher than a primary recrystallization commencement temperature of the high melting metal under a non-oxidative atmosphere to provide the resistant heating element, embedding the resulting resistant heating element within a ceramic shaped body, and then, sintering the ceramic shaped body.

Abstract: An electronic trip device having a processing unit producing a tripping signal when currents of a power system to be protected exceed preset thresholds for preset times, and a trip storage device connected to the processing unit, the storage device having a storage circuit comprising two terminals, a diode connected in series with a capacitor between the terminals and a resistor connected in parallel with the capacitor, the storage device being able to inject a strong current to charge the capacitor via the diode before tripping and able to inject a weak current when the trip device is put into operation, and to measure the voltage at the terminals of the storage circuit.

Abstract: A device for engaging a remote control unit to a ceiling fan which has a motor for mechanically actuating blades connected thereto and a rod with a head which extends upwardly from the motor, a fixing element fixedly engaged to the floor and having a C-shaped portion for engagement with the head of the rod, a middle plate having a central hole for the rod to extend therethrough and having at least two sockets extending from an underside thereof, the middle plate received in a bowl which has a hole for the rod to extend therethrough and at least two studs extending from a bottom thereof for engagement with the sockets, electrical elements for remote controlling the ceiling fan disposed in the bowl which is engaged to the fixing element by bolts such that the remote control unit can be repaired simply by disengaging the bowl from the fixing element.

Abstract: A black matrix substrate is provided with a substrate, and a black pattern formed on the substrate. The black pattern includes at least metal particles in a resin pattern, which comprises resin formed in a pattern shape. The metal particles have such a particle diameter distribution that particles having particle diameters in a range of 5 nm to 50 nm are not less than 80% of the total particles. A projected area density at a conversion of 600 .ANG. thickness of the metal particles in the black pattern, is not less than 60% An optical density of the black matrix substrate is not less than 1.5. A color filter, which has a high contrast ratio, can be constructed by use of this black matrix substrate. Further, a liquid crystal display device, which has a good image quality, can be constructed by use of this color filter.

Abstract: A pouch adapted to accommodate medicine or the like comprising first and second compound films forming front and back surfaces of a pouch. Each of these compound films is composed of a resin film having a predetermined tear strength and a resin film having a good heat adhesive property and the first mentioned resin film is provided with a linear slit on one side thereof having un-cut portions. These compound films are overlapped with each other with the resin films having the heat adhesive property being disposed inside so as to oppose each other and with the slits formed to the resin films of the compound films forming the front and back surfaces of the pouch being coincident with each other in positions. The compound films are then heat fused. When a pouch is formed by these compound films, the pouch has an orientation capable of being torn in a direction corresponding to an extending direction of said slit.

Abstract: A heater unit including a honeycomb heater, a metallic casing for holding the honeycomb heater, and a gas flow-controlling means for controlling flow of exhaust gas through the heater unit, such that about 2 to 20% of the total amount of exhaust gas flows outside the honeycomb heater, between the honeycomb heater and the metallic casing. The honeycomb heater may be attached inside the metallic casing via several appropriate devices including supporting, buffer and connecting devices.

Abstract: A beta-alumina solid electrolyte for use in a sodium-sulfur battery is composed of beta-alumina crystals having a degree of orientation toward the C axis thereof, of 0.2-0.4 and an aspect ratio of 4.0 or less. The beta-alumina solid electrolyte is composed of the beta-alumina crystals having a degree of orientation toward the C axis thereof, of 0.2-0.4 and has such a particle diameter distribution that the average particle diameter is 3 .mu.m or less, the proportion of the particles having a particle diameter of 5 .mu.m or less is 90% or more, and the maximum particle diameter is 300 .mu.m or less. A process for producing a beta-alumina solid electrolyte using an alumina source material, a magnesium source material and a sodium source material, uses a magnesium-aluminum spinel as the magnesium source material and subjects all materials to mixing, granulation, molding and firing to obtain a beta-alumina solid electrolyte without subjecting the materials to calcination.

Abstract: A process for producing a ceramic structural body, including the steps of formulating a ceramic body by incorporating 0.2 to 3 wt % of emulsified wax and 2 to 7 wt % of methyl cellulose and plasticizing the resulting mixture for extrusion, and extruding the ceramic body.

Abstract: A conductive roll including a conductive shaft, a conductive rubber foam layer formed on an outer circumferential surface of the conductive shaft, and a semi-conductive solid rubber layer formed on an outer circumferential surface of the conductive rubber foam layer. The conductive roll is produced by forming a cylindrical laminar body which gives the conductive rubber foam layer and semi-conductive solid rubber layer, and simultaneously vulcanizing and foaming the laminar body in a mold in which the conductive shaft is placed in position.

Abstract: Herein disclosed are a novel methacrylic copolymer capable of serving as a component for uniformly dispersing pigments in paints and varnishes and a dispersant comprising the copolymer. The dispersant for dispersing pigments in non-aqueous paints and varnishes comprises a methacrylic copolymer obtained by copolymerizing 10 to 85 parts by weight of at least one (meth)acrylate monomer selected from, for instance, alkyl (meth)acrylates, alkenyl (meth)acrylates, hydroxyalkyl (meth)acrylates and alkylalkenyl monoalkylene glycol (meth)acrylates, 10 to 60 parts by weight of aminoalkyl (meth)acrylate monomer and/or quaternary ammonium (meth)acrylate monomer and 5 to 30 parts by weight of a monomer carrying a terminal (meth)acryloyl group and having an average molecular weight ranging from 4000 to 1000000.

Abstract: A thermal transfer sheet wherein a clear image having a sufficient density is formed in a thermal transfer process using a sublimable dye and wherein the formed image exhibits excellent fastnesses, particularly excellent light fastness.The thermal transfer sheet includes a base sheet and a dye-containing layer formed on one surface of the base sheet wherein a dye contained in the dye-containing layer includes a mixture of two or more specific dyes.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an effector comprising power contacts for power supply of a receiver. The effector comprises an operating mechanism for the power contacts, this mechanism being actuated by an electromagnet. Between a power circuit for supplying power to the receiver and the return power circuit, there is connected a measuring and processing unit arranged to measure the impedance at the terminals of the power supply circuit of the receiver. This unit is coupled to a contact of the control circuit. The contact is arranged to cut the power supply of the control circuit in the event of a short-circuit of the power supply circuit of the receiver.

Abstract: A segment used for producing a composite insulator having a core member and a housing member arranged around the core member and constructed by a trunk portion and a shed portion is disclosed. The segment has a pair of segment molds detachably connected at a partition plane and a heating and cooling passage arranged in the segment molds respectively. The segment molds have a through-hole through which the core member is arranged, an upper plane forming portion arranged at its one end surface for defining an upper plane of the shed portion, and a lower plane forming portion arranged at its other end surface for defining a lower plane of the shed portion. A heating or cooling medium is passed through the heating and cooling passage. Moreover, a mold is constructed by integrating a plurality of segments with the heating and cooling passage mentioned above.

Abstract: A method for forming a pattern onto an article during injection molding thereof. A pattern-bearing film is heated and softened by a heating board. The softened pattern-bearing film is transferred to the cavity surface of a female mold. Thereafter, the female mold and a male mold are closed. Then, a molten resin is injected into the cavity. When a pattern-bearing film is brought in contact with and heated by the heating board, marks or impressions of air blow holes on the surface of the heating board remain on the pattern-bearing film. To prevent the formation of these marks or impressions, a square-shaped holding frame is fixed on the surface of the heating board. The peripheral portion of the pattern-bearing film is held on the surface of the holding frame. Thus, while the pattern portion of the pattern-bearing film is spaced apart from the surface of the heating board, the film is heated.

Abstract: An electrically conductive roll is disclosed, which includes: a center shaft; a base layer formed on an outer circumferential surface of the center shaft and including an elastic material as a major component and an ion-conductive material, the base layer having a volume resistivity of 10.sup.6 -10.sup.9 .OMEGA.cm; an electrode layer formed on an outer surface of the base layer and including a synthetic resin material as a major component and an electron-conductive material, the electrode layer having a volume resistivity of not more than 10.sup.3 .OMEGA.cm; a resistance adjusting layer formed on an outer surface of the electrode layer; and a protective layer formed on an outer surface of the resistance adjusting layer.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for producing a film of an oxide type single crystal on a substrate of such an oxide type single crystal by epitaxially growing the oxide type single crystal on the substrate through contacting the substrate onto a melt in an overcooled state. The substrate of the oxide type single crystal is contacted with the melt held in a first furnace, and the substrate of the oxide type single crystal is held inside a second furnace separated from said first furnace, and the temperature of the substrate is adjusted in the second furnace. An oxide type single crystal film-producing apparatus is also disclosed.

Abstract: A metal oxide semiconductor element is arranged in a measuring chamber in which an atmosphere is introduced. A resistance of the metal oxide semiconductor element is varied corresponding to a concentration of a specific gas component. An oxygen pump, having a solid-electrolyte element with an oxygen ion transmitting property and a pair of electrodes arranged on both sides of the solid-electrolyte element, is provided. One electrode of the oxygen pump is arranged in the measuring chamber. The measuring chamber is communicated with the atmosphere through a hole as a gas diffusion resistant means. A resistance of the metal oxide semiconductor element is measured when the metal oxide semiconductor element is exposed in the atmosphere so as to obtain a concentration of a specific gas component, while an oxygen partial pressure in the measuring chamber is controlled by the oxygen pump.

Abstract: A support construction for a ceramic filter element adapted for use in a dust collecting apparatus, wherein the ceramic filter element is mounted within a tubular support housing which is formed at its inner periphery with an inward flange enclosing an outer periphery of the filter element. The filter element has one end portion formed at its outer periphery with an outward flange which is coupled with the internal wall surface of the support housing through an encircling sealing member and engaged at one side thereof with the inward flange of the support housing. A pressure plate in the form of a window frame is coupled within one end portion of the support housing and pressed to the outward flange of the filter element such that the outward flange of the filter element is clamped by the pressure plate and the inward flange of the support housing.